Season 5, Episode 9 isn’t going to happen. Everyone understands this – including those profiting from the hype around “Conformity Gate” on TikTok and YouTube. Those still hoping for the episode are now seeing a flood of memes online.
Recently, it was announced that a special behind-the-scenes episode will air on January 12th, offering a look at how the latest season wrapped up. However, a preview released on Wednesday mainly focused on upcoming shows and movies planned for 2026. Though Millie Bobby Brown’s Enola Holmes made a quick appearance, there wasn’t a single hint of new content from Stranger Things. That’s disappointing.
After fans realized a hidden episode wasn’t coming, a new trailer appeared online with the message “Vecna Lives.” It looked like a preview for the ninth and final episode of Season 5. You can watch the trailer below to see what it actually was.
Even after nearly 20 years, Rickrolling remains one of the most effective and surprisingly satisfying memes when done well. It’s been joined by other popular online jokes, like a meme referencing ‘Episode 9 – The Off-Screen.’ This meme highlighted comments from the creators of a popular show, the Duffer brothers, who suggested that some plot points were left unresolved and viewers could interpret the ending for themselves.
Many ‘Stranger Things’ Fans Will Not Let the Idea of a Hidden Episode Go
Netflix
As a huge TV fan, I’ve seen this happen before – remember all the upset after Game of Thrones ended? People were practically begging HBO to redo the final season to their liking! Now it’s the Stranger Things fandom turning up the heat. Even though a lot of the initial wild theories have been debunked, they’re still coming up with new ones, especially as we get closer to the release time. It’s like clockwork!
Fan reactions to the non-existent “Episode 9” have been all over the map – ranging from deep disappointment and reluctant acceptance to outright denial that anyone ever expected it. Despite this, many fans are now rewatching the final season, hoping to find hidden clues about a potential release. Some even think Netflix missed a trick by not surprising viewers with a secret episode after the series concluded. Others simply find the whole debate about maintaining a specific fan expectation – dubbed “conformity gate” – to be absurd.
The official Instagram page for Stranger Things now says that all episodes are available to watch. While some fans might not want to accept it, that’s simply the current situation.
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2026-01-08 03:32